These are my opinions, not ment to flame anyone! All of my deer rifles are standard weight or varmit. All sport at least 24" barrels. I generally hunt stands. When I still/stalk, I rarely travel a mile. I prefer standard weight, or heavier. Irealize that a heavier, or longer barrel doesn't necessarily shoot smaller groups. It's much easier for me to "hold on" and shoot better. Idon't understand why some people strive for such lightweights. I know carrying a "heavier" gun for miles or up and down mountains might be tiersome, but all this trouble and expense for a couple of pounds? How many people actually carry a gun more than a few miles a day? Isn't that what slings are for? capt david

Captdavid,

I agree, it is much easier to shoot a heavier(Standard wght.) rifle than a lightweight. When you are in the heat of the moment the heavier (Standard) weight is much more forgiving than the lighter. I can imagine that many hunters "flinch" more w/ the light weight rifles. Now, I'm not talkin' too heavy just around 8-9 lbs.

I have hiked several miles through the Rocky mountains carring a 9lb rifle and it didn't bother me at all. If that little bit of extra weight bothers you, you probably are not in the best shape for the situation.

Some folks just like the way that a LW rifle shoulders and points. It's just a matter of personal preference just as every other piece of equipment we take to the field.

I will make one more point, the rifle sling is a very valuable piece of equipment on any rifle. A good Butler-Creek Neoprene rifle sling can really make a heavier rifle seem like it's not even there.

Reloader

Toting a rifle to and from a stand is not a problem but when you start climbing up and down the hills around here or in the Big Horns of Wy, weight does count. After a couple of days in Col or Wy, you'll start counting your cartridges in the morning trying to figure out exactly how many do you REALLY NEED.
And too, age and gravity are akin in that they both will pull you down. At 67, when I hunt around the house, I use a model 7 (18' barrel)with a 2.5x scope. I fill it up with rounds and put 2 extra in my pocket. FWIW, when I still hunt, I take the sling off and leave it in camp or put it in my pocket. Hanging around your neck is not where you want that rifle when you get a fleeting chance at the biggest buck you've ever seen. And yes, I do sometimes carry the rifle like a suitcase by the scope.

If you haven't done it then you'll never understand the diff. between a 7# & 9# rifle. I walk my dog more than a mile every day so walking to & from a tree stand w/ the rifle on a sling, yeh rifle weight is irrelevant. Go on an average public land elk hunt in Montana & you'll wish you only did (2) miles a day. Even w/ a sling a 9# rig gets pretty heavy after 7-8 miles, up & down mountains, not hills & you only sling the rifle @ dark. I only have one true lt.wt., it's my .280, ready to go it comes in @ 7 1/4#. I love hunting w/ my #1s though & you'ld be hard pressed to get one lighter than 8 1/2#. Do I notice the diff. @ the end of a day, you bet!

I think it's basically a matter of what you're comfortable with. I think most that shoot offhand at paper will tell you that weight helps, but weight forward is a really big plus as far as that goes. As far as spending a ton of money for a light rifle, it is not necessary these days. Contender Carbines, maybe some of the NEF offerings, to say nothing of the lightweights offered by Ruger/Remington/Winchester(the 94 Trapper is NOT expensive, sure is handy though) all are a handy and viable 6# give or take a small bit. In the case of the T/C carbine, that would be w/ scope. Would I take an offhand shot with one at long range, no. Inside of 100 yards, you bet. From a tree rest or bette,r the Contender will reach beyond 200 yards easily.



I've got some that go both ways on the weight scale, they each have their place and purpose. Having to choose one, I'd opt for light.

At the range, shooting form a rest, there is no measurable difference between light and heavy rifles but in the field your hold and the pressure points on the rifle are quite different and vary more from shot to shot. Under these conditions the heavy rifle does have an accuracy advantage.

Barrel weight helps accuracy.

I am just bringing up a 6.5x55 with a #4 contour 24" barrel-- definitely not lightweight. It's like lugging a crowbar around. It's designed for varminting and long range shots at pronghorn, which are very wary, and not very big. I would not want to carry it on a typical elk hunt.

Each gun has its purpose. No one gun can do all things.

If that gun were for deer, where I have to climb up and down mountains, it would be wearing about a #1 or #2 contour, in about a 21" barrel.

Interesting subject. When I had a custom rifle built specifically for elk, I started out planning an ultralight. After much thought and discussion with my 'smith, I went with a standard M700 action and a #4 taper barrel, chambered in the .300 Jarrett. The McMillan stock was made with a "light fill" which brought the finished rifle to 7.5#. With scope and mounts it weighs in at 8.75#. I have carried this rifle for literally hundreds of miles in the high country of CO, and many hundreds more horseback. For me it is an ideal compromise between a stiff barreled rifle with good balance, and a moderate carrying weight. When I'm backpacking above timberline, fishing for cutthroats and hunting marmots, I want the lightest rifle I can find. To that end I have a Kimber Montana .243. With a Zeiss 4.5-14 it weighs about 6.5#, about a pound less than my .22lr. Malcom Forbes of New Ultra Light Arms told me that his SA rifles weigh just under 5# and will shoot to .25 at 100 yards. Light doesn't necessarily mean less accurate. My experience has been that a scoped rifle weighing under 7# can easily shoot minute of ground hog out to 300 yds. It just takes practice.

There are some good comments on rifle weight and function here, but I have to say that most of the folks that hunt sheep in Alaska are obsessive about weight because climbing mountains or simply carrying all your stuff on your back for 10 miles is, well, backbreaking. In fact it is horrible. A 9 pound rifle is like carrying a log around. A quart of water is both necessary and painful. The only way to get around this problem of weight is to not carry the rifle anywhere. My next sheep hunt will have an airplane to haul me and my stuff around.